When is Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)?
On the Jewish calendar, Yom HaShoah falls on the 27th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which means the observance will begin at sundown on 26 Nisan. In 1951, when the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) established the observance, it did not want the day to interfere with Shabbat by coming either immediately before or after Shabbat. Therefore, if 27 Nisan falls on a Friday, the day is observed on Thursday, 26 Nisan. If 27 Nisan is
Does listening to a podcast count as study? Is it OK to say the blessing if I’m listening to commentary without reading or hearing the Torah portion?
Listening to the podcast definitely counts as Torah study. It’s an opportunity to learn a bit of Torah and start to think about the weekly Torah while also incorporating some modern-day thinking into the traditional message.
What might I expect when making a shiva call? What should I bring?
Shiva is a time when we reminisce, remember, recapture memories of a loved one. As such, what we usually do during a condolence call is to listen to those memories that the mourner wishes to share or to talk about other subjects initiated by the mourner that may have nothing to do with his or her loss.
My new son-in-law has expressed interest in Judaism; where can we find a community that will welcome him and help him learn about Judaism?
Reform Jews are committed to the principle of inclusion.
Why is it customary to visit loved ones' graves before or during the High Holidays?
Jewish tradition gives structure to many aspects of mourning as a way to create order at a time when mourners may feel unmoored.
How do we help children cope with tragedies that occur in our communities and in the news headlines?
What does Judaism teach us about helping our children to cope with terrible news that even we, as adults, find challenging to understand or process?
My child is graduating from college. Is there a prayer or blessing I can say?
At such a poignant milestone, this prayer captures both the emotion in parents’ hearts and their hopes for their child’s future
I'll be attending a church Mass for the first time when I attend a friend's wedding. What should I expect?
Jews may attend the worship services of other religions.
How does Reform Judaism say we should best honor our mothers in today’s world?
While Judaism does not have an equivalent to the secular Mother’s Day, Reform Judaism has been at the forefront of including women in religious life as equal partners.
Can Jews get married on Shabbat?
For centuries, Jewish custom has prohibited marriages at specific dates and times during the Jewish year.
Why do we read this week’s Torah portion over two different weeks?
At the end of the week of Passover, a fifth question arises as we look at the Torah portion for this week: Why is this week different from all other weeks?
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